Differential mechanism.



F. V. ELBERTZ.

DIFFERENTIAL MEcHANlsM.

APPLICATlON FILED MAR. 16. 1917.

Patented Oct. 29, i918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

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F. V. ELBERTZ. DIFFERENHAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED Irl/IR. I5. ISI?.

Paented Dot. 29, i918.,

4 SHENS-SHEET 3.

F. V. ELBEETZ. yDIFFERENTIAL MECHANISIVI.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.I6,19I7.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918K 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

@XII/Immo S M /wm 25 tion taken on 10i eled driving gear 6.

UNITED sTATns aTnnT OFFICE.

FRANK v. ELBERTZ, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoR or ons-THIRD To BYRON r". E vERITT AND ONE-THIRn To E. R. EVANS, BOTH or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM.

Application filed March 16, 1917.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that'I, FANK V. ELBERTZ, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Differential Mechanism, of which the 'following 1a specification, reference being had therein to ythe accompanying drawings. Ale i This invention relates to a differential mechanism and more particularly to one adapted for use in automobiles or the like and to an arrangement thereof whereby pel culiar advantages are obtained and whereby simplicity and rigidity of construction that minimize liability' to accident, result from the arrangement of the parts.

' The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a View in longitudinal section of a diierential mechanism that embodies features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a View in transverse or cross secor about the line IH ot' Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view in cross section taken on or `about line III-III of F ig. l;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views in detail of an eccentric bearing sleeve; and

Figs. 6 and '7 are views in detail oi' an intermediatedriving pinion.

As -herein shown in preferred form, the

`- members 1 and 2 of a differential followershaft are maintained in axial alinement in an outerdrive casing 3, having a section 4- detachably secured as by cap screws 5 or the like to the casing and provided with a bev- Obviously the latter may be of the ordinary spur type.

The casing section 4 acts as a journal for an eccentric bearing sleeve 9, the hub S ot i Which is rotatable-in the member 3 and the shaft section 1 is non-rotatably secured therein as by keys 7 or-like suitable means, endwise movementbf the shaft being prevented, if desired, by a suitable split washer 10 embracing a peripheral groove ot' the section andl abutting a bushing 11 that in turn iscontained in the elongated hub 12 'of a piu-- ion 13 which is keyed tothe other shaft member 2, as indicated at 21,' or otherwise.'

non-rotatab] v connected therewith. i A suitf able hearing bushing le in the hub portion Specification of Letters Eatent.

Serial No. 155,147.

ot the section 4f oi the casing supports the hub 12 of the pinion.

A bearing recess 15 in the sleeve 9, eccentric 'to the axis of the portion 8 containing the member 1, provides support for a power transmitting member, shown in this instance inthe form o'f an annulus or compound interniediate gear 16. Internal teeth 17 thereon mesh with t'he pinion 13 and external teeth 1S mesh with inner teeth 19 on the casing section 11.

Because of the eccentricity of the bearing recess 15, the points of engagement of the teeth 17 with the pinion 13 and of the teeth 1S with the teeth 19, are diametrically opposite. When power is imparted to the external gear to turn the casing, the latter drives the intermediate double gear 16 in the same direction and thereby rotates the shaft section 2 through the pinion 13. As the latter is of less diameter than the teeth 18, the intermediate gear tends to revolve on the axis of the shaft 2, and thus forces the eccentric sleeve 9 to turn the same as if it were being driven by a crank 4 and thereby rotates the shaft 1.l This action occurs when there is'any resistance in both shaft sections to the turning or 'driving torque.

li' either section, i'or example, section 1, is free to turn, all the power is immediately transmitted to the other shaft section 2 barring that which lis sutiicientto rotate the free section at the same speed as the other.

The use oi the eccentric as a drivingmember gives a uniform torque to the companion differential shaft member as if it were a direct gear connection, while at the same time the shait meeting the least resistance can turn .at greater speed than thedri'v-ing member:

As a result ot' this construction a very simple and effective mechanism with an extremel)7 small number of parts, particularly gears, accomplishes the result which is novel in so far as it always causes the loaded member 'to be positively driven, in such a manner and by such means as to minimize the internal resistance of the mechanism. The work is essentially straight-lined and the necessity ota. plurality of planet pinions, either bevel or spur is avoided. i

Obuiously, changes 'in the details of construction may be made without departing trom the spirit of my inventioantl 'I do not care toilimit myself to any partictvhalrform or arrangement of parts.

' I beis when it rotates, there being` an eccentric connection between the intermediate ineni ber and other follower member for rotating the latter when the intern'iediate member revolves on the axis of the follower members; y

2. A differential mechanism coi'nprising a lpair of rotatable follower members, a driving member. in which the rotatable men'ibers are journaled concentrically and an intermediate 'power transmitting member eccentric to the follower ineinbers,i1n mesh with one of the follower members and with the driving member, the other follower member i1icluding an eccentric on which the. intermediate member is rotatably secured and with which it revolves around the. axis of the follower members, the points of engagement of the eccentric member with the driving member and the follower member to which it is geared being diainetrically opposite.

3. A differential mechanism coniprising a pair of rotatable follower members, a driving member concentric therewith in which the rotatable driven members are rotatably mounted and an intermediate power transmitting pinion eccentric to the driving` member and in mesh with the driving member and one of the follower members, the other follower member including an eccentric bushing in which the power transmitting pinion is rotatably mounted eccentrically with the axis of the follower member, the eccentric bushing defining the orbit of revo lution of the power transmitting pinion.

4. AA differential mechanism including a casing, a pair of rotatable follower members concentrically mounted therein, an intermediate power transmitting member mounted eccentrically in the casing and adapted to rotate independently of its axis of ccccntricity 4on its principal axis and positively connecting thc casing with one of the follower members, and a sleeve journaled in the casing and positively connected to the -other follower member providing an eccentric bearing for the intermediate member whereby the latter drives the connected follower member when it revolves on its eccentric axis'.

5. A differential mechanism comprising a driving casing, a pair of alined follower shafts journaled concentrically therein, a sleeve journaled therein concentrieally with one of the follower members and provided with aneccentric caring zecess, a pinion connected to one o Nthe follower members directly, an inner geaixgn the casing, and an intermediate transmitting pinion in gear both with the casing gear and with the shaft pinion, joui-nailed in the eccentric recess of the sleeve.

6. A differential mechanism comprising a pair of alined follower shafts,a driving casing concentrically mounted on the follower shafts, a sleevev secured to one of the follower shafts and journaled in the casing and provided with an eccentric bearing recess, an inner annular gear on the casing, a pinion secured to the other follower shaft, and a transmittingintermediate pinion j ournaled in the eccentric recess of"tl1e sleeve in gear with the inner gear of the? casing and with the pinion of the other follower shaft.

7. A differential mechanism comprising a pair of follower shafts, a casing rotatably mounted on the follower shafts, a pinion secured to one of the follower shafts, a sleeve secured to the other follower shaft and journaled concentrically in the casing, that is provided with a bearing recessieccentric to the follower shaft to which it is secured, an inner annular gear secured` to the casing concentric with the follower shaft, and a double intermediate pinion journaled in the eccentric bearing recess of the 'sleeve in mesh with the casing gear and with the shaft pinion.

.8. A differential mechanism comprising .a pair of axially alined follower shafts, a pinion having an elongated hub secured to one of the shafts and extended over the other shaft. end portion, a' sleeve secured to the other follower shaft having a bearing recess extending over the pinion eccentrically thereto, a casing journaled on the sleeve and on the huh of the pinion, an" intermediate pinion journaled in the eccentric recess of the sleeve in mesh with the shaft pinion, and provided with outer gear teeth that mesh with the internal gear teethof the casing.

9. Differential mechanism comprising a lpair of rotatable follower members, a driving member concentric therewith and an intermediate transmitting member confined to travel cccentigically to the follower members and connected to one of the latter to drive it when the `transmitting member rotates and tothe other to drive it when it revolves in the eccentric path.

10. Differential mechanism com rising a rotatable driving member, a pair ofJ follower members concentric with the driving niember, an intermediate transmission member in positive connection with one of the follower members and with the driving member to operate the former when the =intermediate member rotates on its own axis, and means in positive engagement with the oth`r\fol lower member adapted to cause the inter` mediate member to travel eccentrically to the follower lmembers axes andV adapted t'o\ interlock with the main 4driving member l maintain the compound gear in mesh with` and` transmitting member to rotate on its own axis, and therebydrive said other fol-` lower member.

11. A differential mechanism comprising a pair of follower members, a driving member concentric therewith and an intermediate power-transmitting member eccentrically connected to one follower member to drive the latter and rotatably engaged bythe other follower member and the driving member.

12. In differential mechanism, a driving member including an inner annular. gear, a pair of follower members, a pinion secured to turn positively with one of the follower members, a compound gear adapted to mesh simultaneously with the inner annular gear of the driving member and the follower member pinion, and means for causing the compound gear to revolve eccentrically as well as rotate on its own axis.

13. A. differential mechanism comprising a driving member, a pair of follower shafts journaled eoncentrically therewith, an.in-

ternal annular gear secured to the driving member concentric with the shafts, a pinion secured non-rotatably to one follower shaft, an intermediate compound' gear eccentric to and in mesh with both the shaft pinion and the annular gear and means on which the compound gear is rotatable, adapted to the annular gear and shaft pinion and to drive the other follower shaft when the intermediate gear revolves eccentrically to the shaft axis.

14. A differential mechanism comprising a driving member having an internal gear, a pair of follower shafts concentric thereto, a pinion secured on one follower shaft, a compound gear having external teeth in mesh with the internal gear and having internal teeth in vmesh with the pinion, and a member on which the compound gear is journaled that is non-rotatably secured to lthe other follower shaft.

15. In differential mechanism', the combination with a driving inember and a 'pair of follower members concentric thereto, of driving connections between the driving member and follower members including anA vternal gear, a bearing member and a pinion both in axial coincidence'with the gear, an external gear journaled eccentrically on the bearing member in mesh with the internal gear and an internal gear vsecured concentrically to the external gear lin mesh with the pinion.

17. In a table driving member, a pair of rotatable follower members concentric therewith, and a power transmitting member externally geared to the driving member and internally geared to or' follower member and eccentrically connected to the other follower member to rotate the latter.

18. In a dilerential mechanism having a rotatable driving member and a pair of rotatable follower members, power transmittin means consisting of an annulus external y geared to the `dr1v1ng member. and 1n- `ternally geared to one follower member and an eccentric connection non-rotatably' fsecured to the other follower member to which the annnlusis rotatably secured. In testimony whereof I aiix my in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK v. EL'BERTZ.

Witnesses: v

ANNA M. Domi, KARL H. BUTLER.

signature differential mechanism, a rota' 

